In this week’s “All Up Ian Your Business”, I get in it with the “mayor” of Atlanta comedy and empresario behind several popular comedy shows throughout Atlanta including 8-Bit Comedy at Joystick, Underwear Comedy Party at Village Theater, Cocktails and Comedy at The Pinewood and our topic for this week, Beer and Comedy at SweetWater Brewery. Joe is known for bringing together great comedians and putting them in front of fun audiences in cool spaces and one of the people that make Atlanta Comedy such a thriving scene. He is encouraging of new talent, knows and books the best of Atlanta’s established comedians, always ready to throw on a out of town guest and has had more than a few big name drop ins over the years that make Beer and Comedy a must go to show for the true ATL comedy geek. Check out the interview and then check out the next show, tonight, March 13th at 7pm for doors and 8pm show time.

About The Show

What makes your show different and fun?
Admission includes free beer samples and you get to keep your glass at the end of the night. I also try to book the best comics possible while providing as much variety every show.

Name drop any “drop­ ins”?
We recently had Ron White drop-in for the third time! We’ve also had Rory Scovel, Iliza Shlesinger, Anthony DeVito, Matthew Broussard and probably a handful more that I can’t remember.

What makes a great audience member?
Someone with an attention span and a love for comedy.

Tell us a lie that will entice people to your show.
I buy a brand new shirt for every show.

About The Show Runner

photo by Mindy Tucker

Name:
Joe Pettis

How long have you been doing comedy?A little over eight years now.

Who are your Current comedic influences?
Doug Benson, whom I’ve been lucky to do a lot of shows with is probably my biggest inspiration. I love how he just has fun the whole time he is on stage. Also Jarrod Harris. He was the first comic to reiterate to me that you can do your own thing and succeed without having to worry about the “industry.”

Who were your Childhood comedic influences?
I loved Sinbad! He is still one of my favorites. I was also introduced to George Carlin at a very young age. The first joke I ever stole (don’t judge me) was from Dana Carvey when I ran for Senior Class Vice-President in high school.

If your comedic style was a WWE superstar, who would it be and why?
Chris Jericho because I’m the GOAT, baby!

Why live comedy?
Because is better than being validated by a large number of people at the same time. Also, I’m not good at doing anything else.

Ask yourself a question here
When am I going to find time to do laundry this week?

Answer that question here:
Probably Tuesday.

Describe your show in 3 words:
BEER AND COMEDY

If your life was a breakfast food, what breakfast food would it be and why?
Frosted Flakes because I’M GREAT!

Best beverage to pair with your show?
Beer, duh! I suggest SweetWater’s IPA.

If you farted into a wormhole and it connected to the face of any person in all of time space, who would you want to smell your fart?
Myself at my deathbed so I could have one final laugh.

Describe your nipples?
Pretty small and one of them has one really long hair on it.

Cash Option or Annuity?
I’m bad with money.

“Yes and” is to Improv as _____ is to Stand Up Comedy “
“What do you guys wanna talk about?”

Celebrity Crush?
Jena Malone (I really hope she sees this).

No, I meant Celebrity you want to see crushed.
I don’t wish harm on anyone.

Favorite ATL Comedian?
I don’t know if I have a favorite ATL comic, but I am most jealous of Brian Emond’s hair.

Favorite way to waste a day?
Buying books I’ll never read from Last Chance Thrift Store.

Other than stand up comedy, what makes you laugh?
I tend to laugh when I’m nervous, so pretty much everything.

Complete this statement : Everybody thinks I’m _______ but I’m actually very ________?
The hardest working comic in Atlanta / Just filling up time

Tell us one last thing that will make everyone love your forever, be specific:
I don’t care if everyone loves me. I just want everyone who comes to my show(s) to have a good time. I think about the audience and how I can make their experience the best it can be more than anything else. Also my closet is color coordinated.

That’s it for this weeks “All Up Ian Your Business”, thanks for reading and supporting Atlanta Comedy. Check out all of ATLtoDO for the best fun, funky and sometimes free stuff to do inside the fruit loop (We used to call the perimeter the fruit loop). I’m hosting BackStory at Relapse every Thursday in March, doors 7:30, show 8pm. It’s a comedic story telling and conversation show where I interview comics as they tell funny, weird and sometimes incriminating stories on stage in an hour and is always free AF. Just get out and go see some live comedy. You deserve it.

Author: Ian Aber

Ian Aber is a writer and stand up comedian out of Atlanta Georgia, His comedic style mixes stand up and fast paced story telling, drawing the audience into his outsider view of the world. Smart. Engaging. Energetic and Sweaty are all words used to describe him. Ian is one of the producers of Date Night, every second Tuesday at Argosy, Teen Dream: A High School Themed Variety Show, Back Story : Comedic Storytelling and Conversation every Thursday at Relapse Theatre at 8pm and Surrogates : You Tell The Jokes & The Comedian Pulls The Strings monthly at Relapse Theatre.

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